The Canine Good Citizen progam was started by the American Kennel Club to promote responsible dog ownership. Part of the responsibility of any dog owner is to train your dog to be a safe, polite member of society. All dogs and their owners/handlers who pass this test receive a certificate from the AKC and have the option of purchasing collar tags and patches.

To pass the Canine Good Citizen test you must successfully complete the following 10 items:

1. Politely Accept a Stranger
2. Sitting Politely for Petting
3. Appearance and Grooming
4. Walking on a Loose Leash
5. Walking Through a Crowd
6. Sit, Down, Stay on Command
7. Coming When Called
8. Reaction to Another Dog
9. Reaction to Distraction
10. Supervised Separation

For more detailed information on the Canine Good Citizen Program and individual test items, please see the AKC's Canine Good Citizen page.

Miranda K. Workman and Tracie Klusek are CPDT, AKC certified Canine Good Citizen evaluators. If you are interested in taking the Canine Good Citizen Test with your dog, please contact Purrfect Paws Animal Behavior Center, LLC at 716-465-6555 to schedule a test date.

The test fee is $15.00.